60NYT > Irantopics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iran/index.html?ref=topics<p>Iran, known as Persia until 1935 and now officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is the second-largest nation in the <a title="More news and information about the Middle East" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/middle-east/index.html">Middle East</a> by population; Iraq shares a border, along with historical and religious ties, with <a title="Iraq" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iraq/index.html">Iraq</a>.</p>
<p>Iran has been a quasi-theocracy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which deposed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Democratically elected President Hassan Rouhani is head of the republic, but divine leader <a title="More news and information about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/ali_khamenei/index.html">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei </a>controls the military, the judiciary and the state broadcasting services. Shiite Islam is the state religion of Iran, with Sunni Muslims constituting a very small minority of the nation.</p>
<p>Iran continues to face international criticism for not adhering to the requirements of <a title="United Nations" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/united_nations/index.html">United Nations</a> Security Council resolutions regarding its <a title="Timeline on Iran's Nuclear Program" href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/03/20/world/middleeast/Iran-nuclear-timeline.html">nuclear facilities</a> and its uranium enrichment program.</p>
<p>Keep up to date on breaking news in Iran and explore our extensive archive below.</p>Copyright 2014 The New York Times Companyen-usTue 31 Mar 2015 18:52:20 -0400http://static01.nyt.com/images/section/NytSectionHeader.gifNYThttp://www.nytimes.comThe Martyr’s Daughterhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/world/middleeast/iran-our-man-in-tehran.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssA supporter of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Najiyeh Allahdad, sees it as her duty to speak out when the government fails to live up to the ideals for which her father fought and died.By THOMAS ERDBRINKWed, 01 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/world/middleeast/iran-our-man-in-tehran.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssIran Nuclear Talks Extended to Wednesday, Negotiators Sayhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/03/31/world/europe/31Nukes2-web/31Nukes2-web-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>With a deadline just hours away, negotiators appeared to be struggling to move closer to a preliminary accord to limit Tehran’s nuclear program.By MICHAEL R. GORDON and DAVID E. SANGERWed, 01 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssAs U.S. and Iran Seek Nuclear Deal, Saudi Arabia Makes Its Own Moveshttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/saudis-make-own-moves-as-us-and-iran-talk.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/saudis-make-own-moves-as-us-and-iran-talk.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/03/31/world/JP-31REGION2/JP-31REGION2-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>The talks themselves are already changing the dynamics of regional politics as Saudi Arabia, Iran’s chief regional rival, acts against Iranian-backed groups in Yemen, Syria and Iraq.By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICKTue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/saudis-make-own-moves-as-us-and-iran-talk.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss‘Tricky Issues’ Remain as Deadline Nears in Nuclear Talks With Iranhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/03/31/world/31Nukes-web/31Nukes-web-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>An Iranian official had seemed to rule out an accord under which the fuel would be sent abroad, but American negotiators said the issue had not yet been decided.By MICHAEL R. GORDON and DAVID E. SANGERTue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssIran: Old Land Mines Kill Sixhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/iran-old-land-mines-kill-six.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssIranian state television said two land mines left over from the 1980s Iran-Iraq war killed six people on Monday, five of them Iranian border guards and the other a female shepherd.By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSTue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/middleeast/iran-old-land-mines-kill-six.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssAmid Inquiry, Menendez Finds Well of Support Among Jewish Leadershttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/nyregion/amid-inquiry-menendez-finds-well-of-support-among-jewish-leaders.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/nyregion/amid-inquiry-menendez-finds-well-of-support-among-jewish-leaders.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/03/30/nyregion/menendez-y/menendez-y-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>As Senator Robert Menendez battles to keep his standing in Washington as a corruption investigation unfolds, he has found backing in the pro-Israel community.By ALEXANDER BURNSTue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/nyregion/amid-inquiry-menendez-finds-well-of-support-among-jewish-leaders.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssIran Matters Mosthttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/opinion/roger-cohen-iran-matters-most.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/opinion/roger-cohen-iran-matters-most.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/11/01/opinion/cohen-circular/cohen-circular-thumbStandard-v2.png" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>America cannot stop the Sunni-Shia schism in the Middle East or its violence. It’s a time for fierce realism.By ROGER COHENTue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/opinion/roger-cohen-iran-matters-most.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssIran Backs Away From Key Detail in Nuclear Dealhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/world/middleeast/iran-backs-away-from-key-detail-in-nuclear-deal.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/world/middleeast/iran-backs-away-from-key-detail-in-nuclear-deal.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/03/30/world/30iran-web/30iran-web-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>With a negotiating deadline on Tuesday, Iranian officials have backed away from a critical element of a proposed nuclear agreement, saying they are no longer willing to ship their atomic fuel out of the country.By DAVID E. SANGER and MICHAEL R. GORDONMon, 30 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/world/middleeast/iran-backs-away-from-key-detail-in-nuclear-deal.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssArab Nations to Form Military Force to Counter Iran and Islamist Extremistshttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/world/middleeast/arab-leaders-agree-on-joint-military-force.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssMany analysts attributed the move, intended to counter both Iranian influence and Islamist extremism, in large part to the Arab states&#8217; drive for more independence from Washington.By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICKMon, 30 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/world/middleeast/arab-leaders-agree-on-joint-military-force.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssOur Man in Tehranhttp://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/our-man-in-tehran/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss<a href="http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/our-man-in-tehran/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"><img src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/03/03/multimedia/tehran-erdbrink/tehran-erdbrink-thumbStandard.jpg" border="0" height="75" width="75" hspace="4" align="left"/></a>Thomas Erdbrink, the Tehran bureau chief for The New York Times, offers viewers a personal view of the country where he has lived for more than a decade.By THE NEW YORK TIMESSun, 29 Mar 2015 03:00:53 -0400http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/our-man-in-tehran/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss